NHMS offering free NASCAR tickets to Market Basket employees

The New Hampshire Motor Speedway is offering free NASCAR tickets to Market Basket employees in the middle of a bitter dispute about company leadership.

The speedway announced yesterday it is inviting workers to the Sept. 21 Sylvania 300 with the hopes of boosting morale.

A limited number of tickets will be set aside for workers who may not be able to afford them because of reduced hours and impending layoffs, said NHMS General Manager Jerry Gappens. Tickets for Friday and Saturday races will also be available.

“These men and women are the people who have taken care of all of New England on weekends, and right now, their lives are upside down,” Gappens said in a statement. “So in the spirit of neighbor helping neighbor, we want to offer to host the Market Basket employees so they can put aside the challenges they face and enjoy a day at the races.”

Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The speedway is working with store managers in New Hampshire to spread the word. Store managers will contact Market Basket employees to notify them when tickets will be made available. The offer is extended to employees at Market Baskets in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts.

“This is an incredibly generous donation, and it comes at a time when our workers don’t have a lot to smile about,” said Michael LeClair, manager of the Market Basket in Tilton. “I know for a fact that many of Market Basket’s workers are huge race fans, and without these free tickets, they wouldn’t be able to afford to go to the race this fall.”